10 Reasons a skills assessment tool supports employee growth
November 9, 2021
Skills assessment tests are a vital part of the recruitment process. But the dynamic nature of the job market makes them equally essential for already working employees as well.
Crucially, pre-employment skills assessment and post-employment skills assessment should not be the same.
Having a robust assessment structure enables companies to make the most of their workforces. It also ensures that they have the requisite skills needed to perform tasks expected of them.
Skills assessment tests have traditionally been manual, requiring a good degree of effort and internal coordination to use. However, today an increasing number of digital tools are available and that are much easier and faster to deploy. Importantly, understanding skill levels across an organization better enables managers and executives to plan a blueprint for future employee growth.
This article discusses ten reasons skills assessment tools are contributing to employees’ growth in the modern job world.
What are skills assessment tests?
82% of the companies use skills assessment tests in one form or another.
Skills assessment tests are scientific and formal evaluation methods that help in gauging employee potential. They enable the organization to comprehend where the employees stand presently and if they have the requisite skills to succeed in their current position.
While traditionally we have seen skills assessment tests happening during the onboarding process, employers have realized their importance and have started conducting them periodically for their existing workforce.
10 reasons skills assessment tools support employee growth
While some people come prepared for their position, others learn by experience. A capable skills assessment tool doesn’t differentiate based on how employees have honed their skills but focuses on measuring their capabilities in a consistent and cost-efficient way.
Here are ten ways skills assessments tools have helped employees grow professionally –
- Eliminates bias
Most employees complain of workplace politics acting as a bottleneck and hindering their proper growth. Undertaking a skills assessment test would help employees prove their mettle without the negative effects of favoritism and bias.
- Unearths skill gaps
75% of employers reported difficulty in hiring because they faced skill gaps in job candidates. Accordingly, employers often hire people who may not be the best fit for the job position they hold. So management actively undertakes periodic monitoring of their development via skills assessment tests.
- Developing personalized development plans
The world is fast-changing. Employees are often required to learn new skills to keep up with technological and industry changes. Accordingly, it is increasingly common to hire based on a candidate's positive attitude towards personal and professional growth, knowing that they’ll continue to evolve once hired.
Employing a robust skills assessment tool enables organizations to support employees as they encounter the need to develop new skills by identifying gaps in a timely fashion.
- Tests ability to adopt new skills
The pandemic proved to the world that change is the only constant. Many workers quickly shifted to WFH as the new normal, which required getting used to a different way of working and adopting new tools. This has highlighted the need for workforces to be flexible and adaptable as their work environments change. A good skills assessment test can inform employers about how well their employees are adapting to their changing work environment.
- Helps in reskilling and upskilling
The year 2020 helped most of us unearth previously unknown skills we may not have paid enough heed to. It also showcased the need to continually evolve to stay relevant. It is why employers are encouraging their existing employees to reskill and upskill with the support of skills assessment tests.
- Helps employees understand expectations
A periodic skills assessment is not only an effective way to help employees understand any gaps they may have in their current position, but also a great way to help them discover their potential for promotions within the company.
It’s not uncommon for employees to be promoted without all of the necessary skills for their new position, which can unfortunately lead to disillusionment, frustration, and sometimes to the employee leaving for another job elsewhere.
- Career development
Ambitious workers are often looking forward and working towards their next promotion or lateral move. Engaging in regular assessment tests better enables them to gauge their progress and confirm that they are strengthening the requisite abilities to rise and succeed.
- Garner interesting projects
There can often be projects that are deemed outside of your purview by your employer. But by demonstrating your skills in a highly valued area, it obliges your employer to take notice. Increasing your employer’s awareness of your talents is a great way of getting access to new exciting opportunities and projects.
- Helps unearth the leader in you
Several skills assessment tests are dedicated to finding leadership talent amongst employees. These are highly specialized, and the tools offer actionable insights alongside gauging leadership capabilities in an employee. It allows the organization to place the right people in the proper position and enables capable employees to supercharge their career trajectory.
- It helps differentiate similar employees
Skills assessment tests, when used effectively, can assist employers in better differentiating between similar profiles within their workforce. Not only does this allow certain employees to shine, but companies are better able to place employees in the roles for which they are best suited.
Wrapping up
Employability skills testing during the recruitment process is vital, so is a periodic skills assessment test for existing employees. It allows employees to understand their current position, unearth their true potential, and devise a better career trajectory for them. In addition, using a robust and accurate skills assessment tool would further enable them to figure out even the minutest aspects that would help them attain sustainable growth in the long run.
